The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Shinkafi

  • Shinkafi faults tribunal’s ruling  

    Shinkafi faults tribunal’s ruling  

    Prominent northern politician, Dr. Sani Shinkafi, has faulted the judgment of Zamfara State Election Petition Tribunal that upheld the victory of Governor Dauda Lawal of Peoples Democratic Party against Dr. Bello Matawalle of All Progressives Congress.

    Shinkafi, in a statement, said the judgment is a step backward on sustainable democracy and called on National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate and sanction the panel, led by Justice Cordelia Ogadi.

    He wondered how the panel ignored violation of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC regulations, guidelines and manual for 2023 election, particularly the disenfranchisement of over 100,000 voters at Birnin Magaji and Maradun Local Government despite oral witnesses and documentary evidences at the tribunal. 

    The executive director of Patriots for Advancement of Peace and Social Development, added the judgment undermines democracy.

    Read Also: FEC okays $5b annual fund for humanitarian, poverty alleviation

    He said: “It is on record elections were not held in four areas of Birnin Magaji council with 80 Polling Units and 46,000 registered voters.

    “Also, elections were cancelled in several units with over 85,062 registered voters. The purported margin of lead declared by Returning Officer, Kasimu Shehu, was 65,750 below the voters in the areas polls did not hold or were cancelled. 

    “Collation in Maradun was conducted and the result collated by Collation Officers. 

    “Results in Form EC8B were taken to the Centre and collated by the officer.’’ 

  • NAF hits more bandit camps in Zamfara

    The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, has successfully executed air strikes that destroyed more bandit camps in Daji Bawar and Sunke Villages in Zamfara State.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    ” The strikes were planned on the heels of intelligence reports indicating that some bandits who had survived the intensive air assaults on their various hideouts at Shinkafi, Galadi, Ajia, Shamashalle and other areas of Zamfara State had relocated to Anka Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.

    ” Accordingly, the ATF embarked on intensive Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to confirm the exact location of the new camps.

    ” Eventually, the criminal elements were observed to have pitched their tents at Daji Bawar and Sunke Villages.

    Read Also: NAF kills bandits in Zamfara forests

    ” The ATF, therefore, launched coordinated air strikes on the camps in the two villages with a force package of 2 attack helicopters.

    ” Overhead the target area, several bandits armed with automatic weapons were seen at both locations.

    ” They were engaged leading to the destruction of the camps and their means of transport while scores of them were killed,” he said.

    He said that the troops of  Sector 3 Operation SHARAN DAJI later confirmed that over 30  bandits were killed  while many others were injured.

    Daramola said that the ATF would continue to dominate the area through armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to completely decimate the  bandits  to ensure a return to normalcy in Zamfara and other states in the Northwest.

    The spokesman advised all persons involved in armed banditry in the area  to renounce violence, surrender to security agencies and hand over their weapons.

    NAN

  •  Meningitis: Yari visits over 500 patients in hospitals

     Meningitis: Yari visits over 500 patients in hospitals

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State on Monday paid unscheduled visits to no fewer than 500 victims of meningitis currently receiving treatment at various hospitals in the state.

    The governor was accompanied on the visits by members of the state’s Meningitis Control Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, and other top government officials.

    The governor interacted with individual patients, sympathized with their conditions and encouraged them during the visit to no less than 10 hospitals across the state.

    Yari said the state government had made adequate provision for their treatment and assured them that his administration would continue to handle such emergency cases free of charge.

    The governor, who, said he was sad with the way many of the patients were lying on only mats spread on sand ordered immediate supply of mattresses to all the centres.

    He said anyone caught selling drugs meant for the treatment of the patients would have himself to blame.

    He said that the chairman of the committee should be briefing him regularly on its activities, especially, on why some patients had to be buying drugs or sleeping on the ground.

    Yari said this was also exposing the patients to other diseases.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the patients were receiving treatments in camps located in Gusau, Kaura-Namoda, Shinkafi, Moriki and Talata-Mafara hospitals and others.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there had been an outbreak of the diseases in neighbouring states that claimed several lives.

  • Obasanjo urges leaders to emulate Shinkafi, Monguno

    Obasanjo urges leaders to emulate Shinkafi, Monguno

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged leaders to emulate the late Umaru Shinkafi and Shettima Ali Monguno.

    Obasanjo, who spoke in Sokoto at the weekend, when he paid a condolence visit to Shikafi’s family, lamented that their deaths had robbed the country of honest voices who still had a lot to offer.

    Obasanjo described Shinkafi as a committed nationalist, who worked for the unity and development of the country.

    His words: “Though we cannot question God, present leaders should emulate Shinkafi and Monguno in their dealings.”

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal thanked Obasanjo for the visit, and prayed God to reward him accordingly.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, hailed the former president for his gesture of friendship, adding that Shinkafi lived a worthy life of service.

    Obasanjo also visited former President Shehu Shagari and prayed God to grant him good health.

  • Shinkafi a patriot, says Aregbesola

    Shinkafi a patriot, says Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said yesterday that the death of former boss of the defunct National Security Organisation (NSO), Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, was another monumental loss of one of the nation’s patriots and politicians.

    The governor, who spoke through a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said Shinkafi’s death has once again dealt a devastating blow to the nation, especially the political terrain.

    He said the late politician served the country in many capacities and gave his best while in active service.

    He added that as the pioneer of the nation’s indigenous security service, he presided over a solid service and gave it a track record as the intelligence service under him was one of the most vibrant branches of the police force then.

    He said: “Death diminishes. Alhaji Shinkafi was a Nigerian patriot. He served Nigeria fervently with all he had from conventional police to the security intelligence arm and finally as a politician of note.

    “He was a politician of high repute and immense clout. His political horizon spread across the country.

    “Though a conservative, he did not shy away from grouping with the progressive camp in 1999 when he teamed up with Chief Olu Falae on the joint ticket of Alliance for Democracy.

    “He was a good officer, a listening politician and intelligence officer of a first class hue.”

  • Abdulsalami, Gusau mourn Shinkafi

    Abdulsalami, Gusau mourn Shinkafi

    • Death a huge blow to Nigeria’s intelligence community
    • Buhari’s wife visits family

    Sympathisers have continued to troop to the residence of the late Marafan Sokoto, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi who died in a London hospital last Wednesday, to pay their respects and console with his family over his death.

    Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, were among the dignitaries who visited Sokoto yesterday to pay condolence.

    Also, a former Defence Minister, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd), has described the demise of Marafan Sokoto, as a huge- blow to the Nigerian Intelligence Community.

    According to him, “Nigeria will miss a lot about the late Marafan Sokoto, especially the Nigerian intelligence community which he had been a founding member.”

    Speaking to reporters in Sokoto yesterday the former defence minister said: ”He will also be missed for his strength and good advice to the leaders of the intelligence community. He was a great politician and a brilliant lawyer, as well as an astute traditional ruler and a scholar.”

    According to him,” Some of his legacies include his distinguished style of leadership, dexterity and commitment to Nigeria’s intelligence community”.?

    Speaking when he paid a condolence visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Gen. Abdulsalami described the deceased as a committed Nigerian who gave his all for the unity and stability of the nation.

    He said, “Marafa contributed a lot for this country and I pray to God to reward him for his endeavours.” While urging Nigerians not to despair over the current challenges facing the country, Abdulsalami urged them to be patient and prayerful as according to him, there is silver lining in the horizon.

    He also expressed the condolence of former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, who he said could not travel to Sokoto due to unforeseen issues.

    Responding, the Sultan commended the two former leaders for identifying with the people of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states in their times of need, and prayed to God to reward them accordingly.

    Speaking with reporters at the airport, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State said Shinkafi treated all Nigerians with dignity and respect, while at the same time setting example in conduct which the younger generation should emulate.

    Other personalities who visited the state include Governors Aminu Masari of Katsina State. Also at the family residence of the deceased were media publisher of THISDAY newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, and Galadiman Katsina, retired Justice Mamman Nasir, as well as factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

     

  • Shinkafi for burial in Sokoto

    Shinkafi for burial in Sokoto

    The remains of the late Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, the running mate to Chief Olu Falae in the 1999 presidential election, will be laid to rest today in Sokoto

    Shinkafi, a former Director General of the Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), the precursor to the Department of State Service (DSS), died on Wednesday at the Harefield Hospital, Hill End Road, Harefield, Middlesex, in the United Kingdom after a protracted illness.

    Yesterday, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former interim National Chairman of the APC Chief Bisi Akande, commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased  and Nigerians over the passing of the Marafan Sokoto, who died at 79.

    According to a statement, his body will be interred after the Islamic funeral prayer (Janaza) at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Sokoto.

    The statement issued by a senior counsellor in the Sokoto Caliphate and Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba, said the Janaza will be held immediately after the Jumaat prayers at the mosque located just outside the Sultan’s Palace.

    “Marafa’s remains will arrive in Sokoto on Friday (today) morning. The Janaza rites will be held after the jumaat prayers, after which he will be interred at the Hubbare, here in Sokoto.

    In a statement, Tinubu described the late Shinkafi as a  patriot who served Nigeria well.

    “He was a detribalised Nigerian who was passionate about the unity and progress of Nigeria. He was a man of great integrity and stable character as I have come to know him over decades.

    “Shinkafi served as a foremost security expert helping Nigeria to establish an intelligence and security structure that serves the country up till today. His death is a great national loss.

    “He was a leading northern leader and mobilizer and he built a network of friends across ethnic and religious divides. Soft-spoken but deeply knowledgeable and considerate, he was one not to let up on his conviction that the political elite must team up for the task of nation building.

    “He will be sorely missed. His wisdom and people skills will also be missed. I condole with family and friends and with both the spiritual and political leadership in Sokoto.”

    Chief Akande described Shinkafi as a long-standing friend.

    “He had been my very good and dependable friend since he was Oyo state commissioner of police when I was the Secretary to the State Government. He very much desired that south-west and north-west political collaboration was essential for the stability of Nigeria.

    “He demonstrated that passion most sincerely during the founding of APP in 1998. It is sad that he had been on one sick bed or another since the south-west and the north collaboration resulted into power with Buhari’s civilian federal government.

    “Marafa is not immediately replaceable among the Nigerian patriots and his death is a shattering blow to the efforts towards unity and peace in Nigeria.”

  • Ex-presidential aspirant Shinkafi dies in London

    Ex-presidential aspirant Shinkafi dies in London

    •Buhari, Tambuwal, Dogara mourn

    A former presidential aspirant, Alhaji Umaru Aliyu Shinkafi, died yesterday in London. He was 79.

    The politician had been in and out of the hospital in the last six months, battling an undisclosed ailment.

    Shinkafi, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO), now Department of State Service (DSS), between October 1979 and November 1983, was flown abroad in January after a health relapse.

    According to sources, the late Marafan Sokoto initially received treatment at St. Nicholas Hospital and Reddington Hospital, both in Lagos, before his referral to London.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We lost Shinkafi in London at 4 p.m (yesterday). He was flown to in January with some members of his immediate family and three medical doctors.

    “In the last six months, he had been battling with ill-health. But it has pleased Allah to call him home. From Allah we came and unto Him we shall return.

    “Arrangements are being made to bring his body back home for burial on or before Friday because of flight logistics.”

    The late Shinkafi is survived by three wives and five children, including the wives of Kebbi and Zamfara states’ governors.

    The late Marafan Sokoto, who opted for a career in the police in 1959, was a graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he received his LLB degree in Law in 1973.

    Respected for his specialisation in intelligence gathering, the late Shinkafi was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs (now Interior Ministry) in 1975 before he was made the director-general of the defunct NSO.

    But at NSO, he ran into storm over the controversial deportation of a former Majority Leader of Borno State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdurrahman Shugaba Darman, in 1981.

    Shugaba, who was a chieftain of the defunct Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP), was accused of alleged “assassination plot against former President Shehu Shagari, of the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

    The late Shugaba was later confirmed to be a Nigerian by a High Court, after his aged mother succeeded in identifying his voice in a testimony which shaped the nation’s legal history.

    His foray into politics almost overshadowed his police cum secret service career.

    He was a leading presidential aspirant of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992 before the military regime of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida aborted the primaries.

    But he succeeded in becoming the vice-presidential candidate to Chief Olu Falae in the All Peoples Party (APP) and Action for Democracy (AD) alliance in 1999.

    The alliance was defeated at the poll in 1999 by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which fielded Olusegun Obasanjo/Atiku Abubakar.

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State on the passing away of one of Alhaji Shinkafi.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President described the late politician, administrator and technocrat as an expert whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remained indelible.

    The President urged other Nigerians to carry on from where the late Shinkafi left off.

    He urged his family, friends and associates to take solace in the fact that the late Shinkafi played the parts assigned to him diligently, conscientiously and patriotically.

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, described the late Shinkafi as a distinguished legal luminary, security expert, politician with conscience and great community leader and mobiliser.

    Tambuwal said: “Marafa’s death has closed a chapter in the life of one Nigeria’s most valuable public officers who made his mark in both public and private sectors. He was a truly passionate Nigerian whose invaluable contributions to issues of national interest will be greatly missed.

    “His law office served as a training ground for many aspiring lawyers in Sokoto State and beyond.”

    Condoling with his immediate family, the people and government of Zamfara State and the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, Tambuwal prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State and other Nigerians on the death of Alhaji Shinkafi.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Turaki Hassan, the Speaker described the death of the elder statesman as a huge loss to the nation.

    Dogara said Shinkafi was a true democrat who contributed immensely towards the restoration of democracy in 1999.

    He said: “In all his years in the public service, the late Shinkafi distinguished himself as a patriot, committed and dedicated Nigerian.

    “He served the nation with distinction as a lawyer, police officer, Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs and intelligence chief in the NSO before joining politics.”

    The Speaker said the late Shinkafi was a bridge-builder, who lived exemplary live worthy of emulation.

    He added: “Our hearts go to his immediate family, government and people of Zamfara State over the irreparable loss.”

  • N450m Poll bribery scam: EFCC quizzes Shinkafi, Senator

    N450m Poll bribery scam: EFCC quizzes Shinkafi, Senator

    FORMER Governor of Zamfara State, Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi and a Senator, Hassan Muhammed Nasiha, who is the state PDP chairman are the latest suspects interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the N23.29billion poll bribery scam.

    They were questioned over the N450million allegedly allocated to the Zamfara State chapter of PDP out of the bribe sum.

    The cash was said to have been handed over to the state PDP by a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda.

    A top source in EFCC said the N450million was received by a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) ,Aminu Ahmed Nahuce and one Alhaji Mallaha on Bashir Yuguda’s instruction.

    The cash was allegedly shared in Yuguda’s house under his supervision.

    Yuguda reportedly gave EFCC detectives the names of the beneficiaries of the money as ex-Governor Shinkafi (N15million) and Hassan Muhammed Nasiha, former Senator and State PDP Chairman Zamfara State and his executives N15million.

    One well placed source said: “In his statement, Shinkafi alleged that he was told about the money, and promise was made to release the money to him at the appropriate time.”

    “On his part, Nasiha claimed that, he only benefitted about N2million contrary to what Yuguda told EFCC that it was N15million. He said he refunded the said money to EFCC.

    “But the two leaders are currently in detention to assist us in our investigation. The former governor was still making more statement as I am talking to you. He is however cooperating with us.”

    The EFCC also claimed that Yuguda had released the list of other beneficiaries of the N450million.

    “These are:13 Zamfara Local Government Councils N26 million each totaling N338 million. Gusau Local Government Council being the State capital was given N46 million; House of Representatives Member Bello Matawalle (N10 million); Senator Sahabi Ya’u (N5million); Malami Aliyu Yen Doto the PDP Deputy Governor candidate  2015 election (N5million);  Biliya Shinkafi (N5million); Sani Birnin Magaji (N5million); Party Exco (N5million) printing of Party Tag (N6million) and Committee of Party Supervisors (N10million).

     

  • Shinkafi picks Zamfara PDP guber ticket

    Shinkafi picks Zamfara PDP guber ticket

    Former Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Mamuda Shinkafi, has again emerged the winner of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election for the 2015 general polls, according to a news agency of Nigeria source.

    The party’s governorship primary, which held on Tuesday, is said to have been characterized by petitions and complaints, and aspirants alleged foul play had taken place.

    A rescheduled primary was then rescheduled on Thursday by the National Headquarters of the party with three out of the five aspirants, including the former governor and Rep. Ibrahim Bakauye and Sen. Bello Matawalle.

    Alhaji Bashir Adamu and Alhaji Sagir Hamidu, were known to have withdrawn from the contest to align with Shinkafi before the contest.

    At the end of the second leg of the exercise, which was concluded on Friday, Shinkafi scored 295 votes while Matawalle and Rep. Bakauye scored 270 and five votes respectively.

    Speaking after the election, Amb. Adamu Waziri, urged members of the party to support the flagbearer, to ensure that the PDP returned to power in the state in 2015.

    Shinkafi afterwards, thanked all that participated in the exercise, promising to carry everybody along.